Dudley officials favor $400,000 override

Town and school officials tonight spoke in favor of seeking voter approval to override Proposition 2½ by $400,000 to fund town expenses in fiscal 2014 and beyond.

The $13 million preliminary town budget is $1.8 million in deficit, Town Administrator Peter M. Jankowski said at a selectmen’s public hearing tonight.

Under the limits of Proposition 2-1/2, Dudley is able to increase revenue by an estimated $224,000 for the fiscal year that begins July, which is $8,000 less than the state-mandated minimum contribution to the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District of $232,000 more than this year.

The override would raise the $232,000 for Dudley-Charlton Regional, $78,000 for the Fire Department, $50,000 for the Police Department and $40,000 for the Highway Department.

Superintendent of Schools Sean M. Gilrein said he supports the joint effort for an override.

“The state is requiring the town to pony up more money for education,” he said. “We are coming here this evening on behalf of police, fire and highway. We wouldn’t be able to open our doors without the municipal side.”

Mr. Gilrein said about $50,000 would be used to partially fund technology upgrades at Shepherd Hill Regional High School and Dudley Middle School; $30,000 to cover special education grants that may be lost to federal sequestration, and $120,000 for new textbooks for kindergarten through Grade 5.

Fire Chief Dean C. Kochanowski said the $78,000 earmarked for the Fire Department would maintain current services.

Police Chief Steven J. Wojnar said the $50,000 would add one new hire to the “undermanned force” or at a minimum, would expand school resource officer coverage when school is in session.

Highway Superintendent Daniel W. Gion said $40,000 would re-start an oil and sealing program to maintain roadways and protect the town’s investment.

Selectmen are expected to decide later this week whether the override question will be added to the June election ballot.

If approved, the override would permanently increase property taxes by $400,000.

According to the assessor’s office, the tax rate of $11.56 would increase by 50 cents. The average single-family home, valued at $203,200, would see an annual increase of $101.60, or about $1.94 per week.